Baal with Thunderbolt

Baal with Vegetation Spear
The stele of Baal with Vegetation Spear
Material	Limestone
Height	142 centimetres (56 in)
Width	50 centimetres (20 in)
Depth	28 centimetres (11 in)
Created	c. 15th century BC
Period/culture	Late Bronze Age
Discovered	1932
Place	Temple of Baal, Ugarit, Syria
Present location	Musée du Louvre, Paris
Identification	AO 15775

Baal with Thunderbolt or the Baal stele is a white limestone bas-relief stele from the ancient kingdom of Ugarit in northwestern Syria. The stele was discovered in 1932, about 20 metres (66 ft) from the Temple of Baal in the acropolis of Ugarit, during excavations directed by French archaeologist Claude F. A. Schaeffer. The stele depicts Baal (or Hadad), the Aramean god of storm and rain, and is considered the most important of the Ugaritic stelae. The stele is on display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris.^[1]

YouTube Encyclopedic

1/3
Views:
6 410
97 524
14 137 425

Transcription

Overview

The stele, carved into the white limestone, is wider at the base and measures 142 by 50 centimetres (56 in × 20 in).^[2] It depicts a large standing male figure representing Baal, and a smaller male figure that is thought to be the king of Ugarit.^[1]

The central figure in the stele, Baal, is shown facing to the right and standing on a large pedestal.^[1] The pedestal bears carved representations of Baal's spheres of power, the mountains and the sea.^[3] Baal is shown with a raised right hand brandishing a club or a battle-mace overhead. His left hand is stretched in front of him and holds a thunderbolt in the shape of a spearhead that extends towards the ground.^[1] The shaft is in the form of a plant, likely a cultivated grain that would be nourished by the storm. The bearded god is shown wearing a helmet decorated with bull's horns, from under which his braided hair falls over his back and his right shoulder. Baal is shown clad only in a kilt with striped decorations. The kilt is held by a finely carved wide belt that also holds a curved dagger.^[4]

Between the spear and the god a smaller figure is depicted standing on a horned altar. The smaller figure, most probably representing the king of Ugarit, is shown with a bare head and wearing ceremonial dress. The king's arms are clasped together in prayer, and are hidden under a robe trimmed with braid.^[1]

Interpretation

Ugarit

Places
Salhi Minet el-Beida Ras Ibn Hani Royal Palace
Kings
Ammittamru I Niqmaddu II Arhalba Niqmepa Ammittamru II Ibiranu Niqmaddu III Ammurapi
Culture
Alphabet Language Grammar Pantheon Hurrian songs Baal with Thunderbolt
Texts
Baal Cycle Legend of Keret Tale of Aqhat
v t e

The stele is interpreted as showing the king receiving divine protection from the god Baal. Additionally, Baal is shown thrusting a spear of vegetation into the ground from the sky, symbolizing the necessity of the storm for a later harvest.^[1] Despite the close relationship between the king and the god depicted in the stele, the difference in size between the two figures is interpreted by historian Mark S. Smith as contrasting the power and glory of Baal with the "relative weakness of the king."^[5] Baal's fertility attributes are represented by the horned helmet, and the plant-shaped lightning rod he holds in his hand.^[6] According to historian Alberto Green, Baal is portrayed as a "vigorous, young, graceful, athletic deity marching forward."^[7]

Excavation

The stele was discovered in 1932 during excavations at Ugarit directed by French archaeologist, Claude F. A. Schaeffer.^[3] While the stele was unearthed about 20 metres (66 ft) from the Temple of Baal on its southern slope,^[2] it was probably originally housed inside the temple.^[3] Additionally, eight more stelae were recovered from the area, while another 14 were unearthed in the Temple of Dagon and throughout the city.^[1]

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Caubet, Annie. "Stela Depicting the Storm God Baal". Musée du Louvre. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
^ ^a ^b Caquot; Sznycer, 1980, p. 24.
^ ^a ^b ^c Yon, 2006, p. 110.
^ Schaeffer, 1933, p. 123.
^ Smith, 2009, p. 21.
^ Gordon; Sarna, 1997, p. 107.
^ Green, 2003, p. 165.

Bibliography

Caquot, André; Sznycer, Maurice (1980). Ugaritic Religion. BRILL. ISBN 9789004062245.
Yon, Marguerite (2006). The City of Ugarit at Tell Ras Shamra. Eisenbrauns. ISBN 9781575060293.
Schaeffer, Claude F. A. (1933). "Les fouilles de Minet-El-Beida et de Ras-Shamra. Quatrième campagne (printemps 1932) : rapport sommaire" (PDF). Syria (in French). Institut français du Proche-Orient. 14 (2): 93–127. doi:10.3406/syria.1933.3730.
Smith, Mark S. (2009). The Ugaritic Baal Cycle. BRILL. ISBN 9789004153486.
Gordon, Cyrus H.; Sarna, Nahum M. (1997). Genesis: World of Myths and Patriarchs. New York University Press. ISBN 9780814726686.
Green, Alberto Ravinell Whitney (2003). The Storm-God in the Ancient Near East. Eisenbrauns. ISBN 9781575060699.

Louvre Museum

Building
Louvre Colonnade Lescot Wing Pavillon de Flore Pavillon de l’Horloge Louvre Pyramid Pyramide inversée Cour Carrée Medieval Louvre

Antiquities

Near East and Middle East	ʿAin Ghazal statue Amarna letter EA 362 Amarna letter EA 364 Amarna letter EA 365 Amarna letter EA 367 Assyrian lion weights Baal with Thunderbolt Bushel with ibex motifs Cippi of Melqart Code of Hammurabi Sarcophagus of Eshmunazar II Gudea cylinders Hurrian foundation pegs Investiture of Zimri-Lim Lament for Ur Land grant to Marduk-apla-iddina I by Meli-Shipak II Land grant to Munnabittu kudurru Lion of Mari Manishtushu Obelisk Masub inscription Mesha Stele Namara inscription Narundi Nazareth Inscription Nazimaruttaš kudurru stone Neirab steles Osorkon Bust Phoenician metal bowls Sidon Mithraeum Statue of Iddi-Ilum Statue of Ebih-Il Stele of the Vultures Stele of Zakkur Tayma stones Tiara of Saitaferne Vase of Entemena Victory Stele of Naram-Sin Worshipper of Larsa Yehawmilk Stele Ziwiye hoard
Ancient Egypt	Gebel el-Arak Knife The Seated Scribe Banishment Stela Bentresh stela Bronze Sphinx of Thutmose III Cosmetic Spoon: Young Girl Swimming Dendera zodiac Great Sphinx of Tanis Khonsuemheb and the Ghost Raherka and Meresankh Stela of Pasenhor Tomb of Akhethetep Bull Palette Hunters Palette Statue of Karomama
Greece and Rome, Etruscan	Rampin Rider Venus de Milo Winged Victory of Samothrace Albani lion Antinous Mondragone Apollo of Mantua Apollo of Piombino Ares Borghese Athena of Velletri Borghese Gladiator Borghese Vase Diana of Gabii Diana of Versailles The Exaltation of the Flower Furietti Centaurs Venus Genetrix Lady of Auxerre Marcellus as Hermes Logios Apollo Sauroctonos Statue of the Tiber river with Romulus and Remus Venus and Mars Venus of Arles Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus Antioch mosaics Barberini ivory Borghese Collection Boscoreale Treasure Dinos of the Gorgon Painter Eurytios Krater Hercules and the lion of Nemea Judgement of Paris (mosaic) Nazareth Inscription Antinous Mondragone Borghese Venus Diana of Gabii Furietti Centaurs Gladiator Mosaic Hera Borghese Antinous Mondragone Apollo Belvedere Cupid and Psyche (Capitoline Museums) Dying Gaul Furietti Centaurs Sleeping Ariadne Sleeping Hermaphroditus Statue of the Tiber river with Romulus and Remus Winged Lion of Vulci Sarcophagus of the Spouses
Byzantine	Harbaville Triptych Lampsacus Treasure

Paintings

French	Anonymous: Diana the Huntress; Gabrielle d'Estrées et une de ses sœurs Boilly: Artists in Isabey's Studio Boucher: The Brunette Odalisque; Diana Bathing; Vulcan Presenting Venus with Arms for Aeneas Chardin: The Attributes of Civilian and Military Music; The Attributes of Music, the Arts and the Sciences; Boy with a Spinning-Top; The Buffet; The Ray; Saying Grace Chassériau: Aline Chassériau; Self-portrait; The Toilette of Esther; The Two Sisters Claude: Village Fête Corot: The Bridge at Narni David: Andromache Mourning Hector; The Coronation of Napoleon; The Intervention of the Sabine Women; Leonidas at Thermopylae; The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons; The Loves of Paris and Helen; Minerva Fighting Mars; Oath of the Horatii; Portrait of Madame Marie-Louise Trudaine; Portrait of Madame Récamier; Portrait of Pope Pius VII; Self-portrait; Unfinished portrait of General Bonaparte Delacroix: The Barque of Dante; The Bride of Abydos; The Death of Sardanapalus; Entry of the Crusaders in Constantinople; Liberty Leading the People; Lion Devouring a Rabbit; Mademoiselle Rose; The Massacre at Chios; The Murder of the Bishop of Liège; Orphan Girl at the Cemetery; Portrait of Frédéric Chopin; The Picador; Women of Algiers; A Young Tiger Playing with Its Mother Delaroche: Bonaparte Crossing the Alps; The Young Martyr Flandrin: Study (Young Male Nude Seated Beside the Sea) Fragonard: Coresus Sacrificing Himself to Save Callirhoe; The Bolt Géricault: The 1821 Derby at Epsom; The Charging Chasseur; The Raft of the Medusa; The Woman with a Gambling Mania; The Wounded Cuirassier Greuze: L'Accordée de Village Gros: Bonaparte at the Pont d'Arcole; Bonaparte Visiting the Plague Victims of Jaffa; Napoléon on the Battlefield of Eylau Guérin: Jeune fille en buste Huet: The Flood of Saint-Cloud; Normandy Thatched Cottage, Old Trouville Ingres: The Apotheosis of Homer; Don Pedro of Toledo Kissing Henry IV's Sword; Grande Odalisque; Joan of Arc at the Coronation of Charles VII; Mademoiselle Caroline Rivière; Oedipus and the Sphinx; Portrait of Madame Marcotte de Sainte-Marie; Portrait of Monsieur Bertin; Roger Freeing Angelica; The Turkish Bath; The Valpinçon Bather La Tour: The Adoration of the Shepherds; The Card Sharp with the Ace of Diamonds; Joseph the Carpenter; Magdalene with the Smoking Flame; Saint Sebastian Tended by Saint Irene Philippe de Champaigne: Ex-Voto de 1662 Poussin: Et in Arcadia ego; The Four Seasons; The Funeral of Phocion; The Inspiration of the Poet; Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice Quarton: Pietà of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Robert: Principal Monuments of France; Project for the Transformation of the Grande Galerie du Louvre Scheffer: Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta Appraised by Dante and Virgil Vernet: A Mediterranean Port Vouet: Allegory of Wealth; Hesselin Madonna Watteau: The Embarkation for Cythera; The Faux Pas; L'Indifférent; Jupiter and Antiope; Pierrot; The Two Cousins
Italian	Fra Angelico: Coronation of the Virgin Antonello da Messina: Christ at the Column Arcimboldo: The Four Seasons Bellini: Christ Blessing; Madonna and Child with Saint Peter and Saint Sebastian; Portrait of a Young Man Botticelli: Three Scenes from the Life of Esther; Venus and the Three Graces Presenting Gifts to a Young Woman; A Young Man Being Introduced to the Seven Liberal Arts Caravaggio: Death of the Virgin; The Fortune Teller; Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt and his Page Carpaccio: The Sermon of St. Stephen Carracci: Fishing; Hunting Cimabue: Maestà Correggio: Allegory of Vice; Allegory of Virtue; Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine; Venus and Cupid with a Satyr Costa: Allegory of Isabella d'Este's Coronation; Reign of Comus Ghirlandaio: An Old Man and his Grandson; Visitation Giordano: Adoration of the Shepherds; Marriage of the Virgin Giotto: Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata Guardi: The Doge on the Bucintoro near the Riva di Sant'Elena Leonardo: Bacchus; La belle ferronnière; Mona Lisa; Saint John the Baptist; The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne; Virgin of the Rocks Lippi: Barbadori Altarpiece; The Healing of Justinian the Canon; Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata Lotto: Christ Carrying the Cross; Holy Family with the Family of St John the Baptist; Saint Jerome in Penitence Mantegna: Crucifixion; Judgement of Solomon; Madonna della Vittoria; Parnassus; Saint Sebastian; Triumph of the Virtues Martini: The Carrying of the Cross Moretto: Saints Bonaventure and Anthony of Padua; Saints Bernardino of Siena and Louis of Toulouse Palmezzano: Dead Christ Panini: Ancient Rome Parmigianino: Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine Perugino: Apollo and Daphnis; The Battle Between Love and Chastity; Madonna and Child with St John the Baptist and St Catherine of Alexandria; Madonna and Child with St Rose and St Catherine (with Ingegno); St Sebastian; Young Saint with a Sword Piero della Francesca: Portrait of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta Pisanello: Portrait of a Princess Raphael: Angel Holding a Phylactery; La belle jardinière; The Holy Family of Francis I; Madonna with the Blue Diadem (with Penni); Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione; St. George; St. Michael; St. Michael Vanquishing Satan; Self-Portrait with a Friend; Small Holy Family Romano: Portrait of Doña Isabel de Requesens y Enríquez de Cardona-Anglesola (with Raphael) Salviati: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas Savoldo: Portrait of a Clad Warrior Signorelli: Adoration of the Magi; Birth of John the Baptist Tintoretto: Self Portrait Titian: The Crowning with Thorns; The Entombment of Christ; Madonna of the Rabbit; Man with a Glove; Pardo Venus; Pastoral Concert (also attributed to Giorgione); Saint Jerome in Penitence; Woman with a Mirror Tura: Pietà with Saints Uccello: The Battle of San Romano Veronese: The Wedding at Cana
Northern	Bosch: Ship of Fools Bruegel: The Beggars Christus: Lamentation (Pietà) David: Cervara Altarpiece; Triptych of the Sedano family Dürer: Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle van Dyck: Charles I at the Hunt; Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary, St John and St Mary Magdalene; Madonna and Child with Two Donors van Eyck: Madonna of Chancellor Rolin Friedrich: The Tree of Crows Hals: Catharina Both-van der Eem; The Gypsy Girl; The Lute Player Holbein: Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam; Portrait of Nicolaus Kratzer de Hooch: Card Players in a Rich Interior Jordaens: The Four Evangelists Matsys: The Money Changer and His Wife Memling: Diptych of an elderly couple Metsu: The Vegetable Market in Amsterdam Rembrandt: The Archangel Raphael Leaving Tobias' Family; Bathsheba at Her Bath; Landscape with a Castle; Pendant portraits of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit; Philosopher in Meditation; St. Matthew and the Angel; Self-Portrait; Slaughtered Ox Rubens: Helena Fourment with a Carriage; Helena Fourment with Children; Hercules and Omphale; Ixion, King of the Lapiths, Deceived by Juno, Who He Wished to Seduce; Marie de' Medici cycle; The Village Fête; The Virgin and Child Surrounded by the Holy Innocents Ruisdael: Dune Landscape near Haarlem; The Ray of Light; Storm Off a Sea Coast Scheffer: Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta Appraised by Dante and Virgil Vermeer: The Astronomer; The Lacemaker van der Weyden: Annunciation Triptych; Braque Triptych Wtewael: Perseus Freeing Andromeda
Spanish	El Greco: Christ on the Cross Adored by Two Donors; Portrait of Antonio de Covarrubias; Saint Louis Goya: Portrait of Ferdinand Guillemardet; Portrait of the Marquise de la Solana; Still Life of a Lamb's Head and Flanks Murillo: The Birth of the Virgin; The Young Beggar Ribera: The Clubfoot Zurbarán: Displaying the Body of Saint Bonaventure; Saint Apollonia
English	Bonington: Francis I, Charles V and the Duchess of Étampes Lewis: Street Scene near the El Ghouri Mosque in Cairo
American	Leutze: Christopher Columbus Before the Council of Salamanca

Category

This page was last edited on 30 September 2023, at 22:04

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia